角龙
jiǎo lóng
Horned dragon · trad. 角龍
角龙 (jiǎo lóng) literally means "horned dragon." It is commonly used in scientific contexts to refer to horned dinosaurs (like Triceratops) and can also describe mythical dragons depicted with horns.
When to use it
Neutral. When discussing dinosaurs, it often refers to the Ceratopsidae family. For mythical creatures, it's a descriptive term. For a specific horned dinosaur like Triceratops, 三角龙 (sānjiǎolóng) is more precise.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “jee-OW LONG.” The first syllable, 角 (jiǎo), is a third tone, starting low, dipping, and rising. The second syllable, 龙 (lóng), is a second tone, rising in pitch.
Other ways to say it
- 三角龙sān jiǎo lóngTriceratops (literally 'three-horned dragon')
- 有角的龙yǒu jiǎo de lóngdragon with horns (descriptive)
- 龙角lóng jiǎodragon horn (the horn itself)
Examples
三角龙是一种著名的角龙。
sān jiǎo lóng shì yì zhǒng zhù míng de jiǎo lóng 。
Triceratops is a famous horned dinosaur (a type of 'horned dragon').
神话中的角龙通常很强大。
shén huà zhōng de jiǎo lóng tōng cháng hěn qiáng dà 。
Mythical horned dragons are usually very powerful.
这个玩具是一只绿色的角龙。
zhè ge wán jù shì yì zhī lǜ sè de jiǎo lóng 。
This toy is a green horned dragon.
Pro tip: While 角龙 (jiǎolóng) directly translates to "horned dragon," it's most frequently used in scientific contexts to refer to the Ceratopsidae family of dinosaurs. For a general mythical dragon with horns, you might also hear "有角的龙" (yǒu jiǎo de lóng), meaning "dragon that has horns."
Related phrases
龙 · Dragon饺子 · Dumpling金龙 · Gold dragon
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